Pneumococcus
STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE
Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus, is a bacterium found across the world that causes pneumonia and, in children, ear infections. Pneumococcus infection can also lead to serious infections requiring hospitalisation, such as meningitis and sepsis (a serious systemic infection).
How does pneumococcus spread?
Pneumococcus spreads via respiratory droplets that are expelled when a person coughs or sneezes
It can also spread via physical contact.
Even healthy individuals can carry pneumococcus in their nasopharynx and spread the bacteria without having any symptoms themselves. Vaccination prevents people from carrying the bacteria and cuts off this route of spreading.
High-risk groups for infection and illness
Young children, elderly people and people with long-term illnesses (e.g. asthma, diabetes) or a suppressed immune response are particularly vulnerable to pneumococcus infection.
Common symptoms
Sepsis (a serious systemic infection)
Meningitis
Pneumonia
Globally
333 000 – 529 000
children die each year
Pneumococcus
infection can be prevented by vaccination
infection can be prevented by vaccination
There are several different subtypes of pneumococcus bacteria. Not all of them can be vaccinated against. In the National Immunisation Programme, a vaccination against the common types of pneumococcus is administered to infants, children under 5 years of age who are in a risk group, and stem cell transplant patients of all ages. The vaccine (PCV13) is available from pharmacies by prescription and it is particularly recommended to everyone over 65 years of age and people of all ages who belong to any of the risk groups.
Cases of severe pneumococcal diseases in Finland
in all age groups, 2004–2015
www.wpro.who.int/immunization/documents/docs/MTGRPT_BiregionalPneumonia2006.pdf
www.thl.fi/fi/tutkimus-ja-asiantuntijatyo/hankkeet-ja-ohjelmat/pneumokokkikonjugaattirokotteen-vaikuttavuuden-arviointi/vakavan-pneumokokkitaudin-ipd-ilmaantuvuus-suomessa-serotyyppi-ja-ikaryhmittain
www.thl.fi/fi/web/infektiotaudit/taudit-ja-mikrobit/bakteeritaudit/pneumokokki
www.thl.fi/fi/web/infektiotaudit/seuranta-ja-epidemiat/tartuntatautirekisteri
http://www.who.int/wer/2012/wer8714.pdf?ua=1